


unexplored shops and inexplicable occurrences

by Elzie (gallaxygay)



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Fluff, Gay Keith (Voltron), Halloween, Horror, Inktober, M/M, Mystery, Original Character(s), Pining Keith (Voltron), Pining Lance (Voltron), Space Mall, klance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-02
Updated: 2018-10-06
Packaged: 2019-07-24 01:07:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16170491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gallaxygay/pseuds/Elzie
Summary: The space mall is strange, sometimes - and its less explored corners are filled with all manner of stores, with strange shopkeepers and stranger wares.-otherwise, halloween is coming, let's get spooky





	1. Chapter 1

The shopkeeper smiles. And it's not entirely unfriendly but Keith sidles closer to Lance in a half-hearted show of comradery. And Lance lets it slide, so Keith grasps his arm with tight fingers, and then Lance lets it slide once more but Keith doesn't push further. 

They enter as a pair, leaving the shopkeeper to wait by the entryway. Keith doesn't have to turn back to know that the shopkeeper is smiling. His skin prickles.

It's hard not to notice the vast emptiness of the store - despite the music that rings out over tiny, black plastic speakers that reside in the areas where walls meet walls and ceilings. Though, perhaps the music only exacerbates the emptiness, bouncing off pristine walls and pristine floors and the one, pristine employee.

The entire store is pristine in the same way that plastic is, with the sort of glossy perfection that doesn't bend or break easily. 

Lance grins at Keith. And Keith won't admit that he's as charmed by his grin as anyone else, but he is, even when Lance's grin is disingenuous and panicked. Under his breath, he says, "Everyone in this goddamn mall feels like they keep people locked in their backrooms." 

Funnily enough, this store doesn't seem to have a back room. The walls melt into each other and the floor, leaving just one entrance and exit. Keith laughs anyway - he briefly fancies that Lance is charmed by his laugh too - and says, "Hunk was beloved." And Keith thinks its the truth, so he says it louder for the shopkeeper - because he knows that whispers upon whispers are as suspicious as anything. 

"Hunk," says Lance, with hands in his pockets and eyes aimlessly roaming the shelves upon shelves of pristine fruits and vegetables, "is a god in the kitchen, but he could've died in there just as easily - at least I think so." 

The conversation lapses. And the shopkeeper taps Lance on the shoulder. And Lance doesn't flinch because Keith has already engulfed half his body with worry, and the shopkeeper says, "Can I help you with anything?" 

"No," says Lance shortly. "Thank you, though." 

And the shopkeeper smiles. They say, "We don't get a lot of humans in this mall." 

"Right," says Keith. 

Lance intertwines their fingers. Keith lets its slide and so Lance looks the shopkeeper in the eyes and says, "I think we're just about ready to leave" with another one of his charming smiles. 

The shopkeeper smiles too. They say, "No, no, I really don't think so." 

Keith moves to storm out, dragging a stumbling Lance with him. The shopkeeper doesn't move to impede their exit - doesn't move at all, actually, except to smile one more time. Lance looks back over his shoulder, looks back one more time, and then he offers another, shakier smile to Keith. 

Keith is still holding Lance's hand when they come to a stop. Lance says, "I don't want to go back." 

"What'd you see?" asks Keith. 

And for the first time that day, Lance raises an eyebrow and Keith is forced to acknowledge something that Lance won't let slide - a wall - and it makes Keith wish he had taken the time to look back. 

But he didn't. 

So instead of arguing, he says, "Okay, that's okay."


	2. leaves and flower petals follow in her wake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> it's a plant store with a back room shrouded in mystery and darkness and a woman in green boots. she has a funny smile.

The woman looks up, beginning with little preamble. She says, "I waited nearly all year for you. This mall is very unfriendly." 

Plants decorate the store, top to bottom - vines running the length and width of the ceiling and flowers sitting in pots (as well as a variety of other objects) along the ground. Shiro is just tall enough that leaves rest in his hair and petals on his shoulders and he looks so distinctly uncomfortable that it has the rest of the team stifling laughter into coughs and yawns and Lance just laughs, boisterous and loud, and says, "I hate this fucking mall." 

The woman nods as if Lance had just imparted some great wisdom. She steps up onto the counter, bending down slightly so that she doesn't disturb the plants on the ceiling, before jumping down to land before the team, crushing a small and purple flower. She's wearing green boots and a funny smile. 

Shiro blushes, maybe with embarrassment, and Lance laughs louder - he has to lean on the counter to support himself as heaving sobs of laughter shake through his body - like waves in the ocean, and the woman looks at Lance and giggles too. 

She says, "Well then, which of you goes first? Shiro? Allura?" 

Lance stops laughing. He places his chin in his hand, watching as the situation unfolds with careful eyes. Shiro and Allura both freeze, stilling just slightly, before placing their hands on their hips with careful eyes and careful smiles too. 

They are nothing if not careful. But the woman moves through the air and the tension like it's nothing, and she smiles like she understands the whole world, and it's not long until Allura is leaping over the counter. 

She comes striding out of a back room, seemingly moments later. The backroom is nearly hidden from sight due to the darkness of the corner, obscured by the fullness of the room. Perhaps the plants serve as a distraction - perhaps they're just plants. 

Regardless, Allura looks unhappy. She wears her discomfort in the thin, tight line of her lips. 

The woman comes out after Allura, the funny smile still in place. She says, "My name is Nora. Shiro, would you like to come with me?" 

Shiro looks at Allura. Allura looks away. 

So Shiro accidentally knocks a plant down on his way over the counter, which Lance grabs with enough speed that he receives a few raised eyebrows, and then Shiro lands with a crash which Lance couldn't have prevented. Nora doesn't look like she minds, not particularly, green boots click-clacking on the stone, and sending a smile over her shoulder as Allura mumbles an excuse to leave the store. 

Petals and leaves float gently down to the floor in her wake. 

Lance's eyes follow the seen, boredom and amusement clouding his features - and his feelings. It's nearly impossible to rest comfortably in the store, but Lance has managed to rest - which is more than could be said about the other paladins who stand staged around the store in various shades of discomfort. 

Lance and Pidge and Hunk aren't normally a silent ensemble but the seemingly endless clutter of the room enforces a quiet upon the three. It's uncomfortable. Pidge pulls out her phone. 

Keith stands by the door. It's overbearingly hot. 

And then Shiro comes out of the back room with stony eyes and Nora doesn't look scared - just nervous. She calls Hunk in, the funny smile still stuck on her face, but with decidedly less pep. 

And then Pidge. 

And then Keith. 

And Lance rests on the counter looking slightly disaffected - like the store isn't humid and like Allura hasn't left in a dizzy of upset and like a small woman in green boots hadn't just torn up the team in a whirlwind of confusion and tension. 

Keith leaves the back room and feels a bit empty. He looks to Lance, who smiles a bit vacantly. 

"How'd it go?" asks Lance. 

Keith nods noncomitally. He says, "I'll wait up for you." 

Nora peaks out from the doorway. "Hello, Lance!" she says. 

"Hi," says Lance. He nods at Keith once before jumping over the counter, nearly as graceful as Nora. 

He doesn't come out. And he doesn't come out and doesn't come out and then finally, Lance emerges from the back room, panting and soaking wet. He slams the door shut with a vicious shout. 

"I-" 

Lance says, "Thank you for waiting. Should we go?" 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> leave a comment + kudos if ya liked it !!!! 
> 
> (honestly who am i updating my fics so often) 
> 
> also, if any of y'all wanna beta my works lemme know and i will love you forever

**Author's Note:**

> yall i'll be real with u i posted a worse version of this on my tumblr that was even less edited than this piece of work right here, but we out here trying horror so like w/e u know ???
> 
> anyway leave a comment if you enjoyed or if you have any spooky spooky suggestions


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